Projects Abroad in Mongolia

  Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar

Term: Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Winter 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks

Description: Mongolia is a unique and adventurous place to spend time on a volunteer program or internship. Mongolia is a large country about a third the size of Europe sandwiched between Russia and China on the Asian Steppe. Its a country that conjures up images of far-off lands and a completely different pace of life. This image really is reality, in this land of Genghis Khan and wandering nomadic clans.

Our projects in Mongolia are available for anyone interested in volunteering in the developing world, including those on a college summer break, gap year, career break or volunteer vacation.

Projects Abroad Mongolia is based right in the center of Ulaanbaatar and most of the projects are based here too. With the majority of our host families and projects being concentrated around the center of the city, there is a very strong volunteer community here. Placements are available in Teaching, Care, Medicine & Healthcare - including nursing & midwifery - Journalism, Sports, Veterinary Medicine and Business.

Or, if you want to get away from it all you can participate in our Nomad Project, which is based around two hours east of Ulaanbaatar out on the vast Mongolian Steppe.

Care - We cannot pretend to remedy the serious social and economic conditions in the countries where we work and send volunteers. But the care placements we arrange in orphanages in Ulaanbaatar make a difference to children who would otherwise lack opportunities for care and attention, as well as one-on-one social interaction.

Teaching - When you arrive at your school in Ulaanbaatar, don't be surprised if you find an old "communist-style" concrete structure with basic facilities, but clean and functional. The stark buildings certainly don't reflect the nature of the people. Our Projects Abroad Mongolia staff will introduce you to a friendly supervisor, usually one of the English teachers at the school, and lots of enthusiastic students.

Business - Since Mongolia's democratic revolution in 1990, Mongolia's capital has become one of the fastest-growing cities in Central Asia. Ulaanbaatar now has many surprising opportunities for business growth. We have placements for you in business administration and management, and in a wide range of manufacturing and service companies, including those in the growing tourism industry.

Law & Human Rights - If you volunteer on our Law project in Mongolia you will work for a company that deals with a wide range of clients in both economic and legal fields. You will be involved in many different aspects of the legal process including interviewing people, writing legal opinions, researching for cases, or doing contract work. Human Rights Law is also a rapidly expanding area in the Mongolian legal system and you can have a great deal of involvement if you are willing and prepared to show enthusiasm. The organisations we work with work in a range of different areas.

Journalism - On the Ulaanbaatar Post or Mongol Times, you'll initially work alongside local journalists, seeing what they do and where they go on a day-to-day basis. Once you've got your confidence, like many volunteers so far, you may have your own regular English column in the newspaper. Alternatively your work might be translated into Mongolian and used in the main body of the paper.

Medicine and Nursing - Medical projects in Mongolia are based in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, where you will be working in busy central hospitals or specialized clinics, depending on your preferred type of placement. The doctors are keen for you to achieve as much as possible during your placement by working in a number of different departments. Hospitals in Mongolia also welcome volunteer nurses, whether you are fully qualified or looking to gain initial experience, so long as you can help with the general care of patients.

Sports - The younger generation is beginning to get interested in soccer, basketball and volleyball but the schools we work with are often very poor and cannot afford the necessary equipment for children to participate in these sports on a regular basis. Even when they can, the standard of teaching is poor, because the teachers have simply not had the required sports background. During the school year there are many opportunities to get involved with coaching a variety of sports. If you specialize in a particular sport and have a good knowledge of the game and how to coach it effectively then you will be much in demand, but the schools we work with are also very happy to have coaches with a simple love of sports in general, and the enthusiasm to develop the same in the others.

Veterinary Medicine - veterinary volunteers work in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city, at the AMAR Pet Hospital. The hospital treats all kinds of pets and animals such as dogs, cats, turtles, birds, small mammals and race-horses. You will work alongside the local veterinary staff and have the opportunity to assist them with basic treatments, observe surgery and gain experience of diseases rarely seen in the West. If you have a particular interest in horses there is also the chance to spend some of your veterinary placement outside of the city, where their entire way of life is dependent upon the horses they own. You will stay with a horseman and his family and help with their daily tasks, such a herding livestock and making food and drink from mares milk.

We also offer a 14-hour language plus program, where you can pick up some basic Mongolian!

Also, for high school students between the ages of 16 and 19 we offer the chance to take part in our medical placement on a two-week summer special.

Highlights: Mongolia is sandwiched between Russia and China on the Steppe. It is a country which conjures up images of far off lands and a totally different lifestyle. This is not just the image but also the reality of the land of Genghis Khan and nomadic tribes.

Ulaanbaatar is the capital where we are based. This is the capital city of a people who once ruled much of Asia and a big chunk of Europe. It is hard to imagine now. The modern Mongolian is a descendant of Genghis Khan, a son or daughter of the Communist era and is living in a modern-ancient state where Lamas drive in Japanese jeeps across the desert roads to distant monasteries.

Ulaanbaatar is a city of contrasts with Soviet-style high-rise blocks alongside traditional mud tents or "Gers" on the edge of the city. Modern businesses thrive while Mongolians walk the streets in traditional dress. Our Projects Abroad placements give you an opportunity to see and feel how a modern Mongolian lives.

Life in Mongolia is never dull. You may be eating a traditional "Guanz" of mutton or trying karaoke in one of Ulaanbaatar's bars. The experiences may not all be expected but they will certainly be worth the trip. You will be living in one of the world's most remote places.

Travel opportunities could take you into the steppe living with a local nomadic tribe in a Ger where you may find yourself gathering camel dung to put on the fire. Once outside of the capital, you will find that 'roads' marked on maps are not really roads and 'settlements' can be small and temporary. If you have a taste for adventure you will want to explore the remote Altai mountains and the Gobi desert.

Qualifications: Volunteers must be 16 years old and submit 1 letter of recommendation.

Cost in US$: from US$1,795 up

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Anyone with an open mind and a desire to travel

Age Range: 16-80

This Program is open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Mongolia Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement: As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded: 1992